'Tis The Season: 7 Pro Tips to Rid Your Home of Allergens

Where on your priority list of household chores does dusting fall? If it's towards the bottom, between watering your succulents and shaking out your welcome mat, it may be time for a serious second look — after all, it could be a big part of what's causing all of that sniffling and sneezing that we chalk up to seasonal allergies.

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Interior designer, author, and wellness expert Robin Wilson knows firsthand the importance of a home that is clean to the core. As a personal sufferer of allergies and asthma from an early age, helping others create safer and more eco-minded home spaces with a clean-living sensibility has been the driving mission of her newly rebranded eponymous home line, Robin Wilson Clean. Wilson says, "Our brand has four areas that we're trying to focus on, and it's the four Fs — Form, Function, Furnishing, and Finishes, and what you are putting in your space, so that your personal ecosystem is healthy."

The idea of looking at the home as a personal ecosystem is one that Wilson holds dear, since there's much focus on the aesthetics of a space, and not so much on the materials that fill our bedding, the cleanliness of the corners that we can't reach, or even the products that we use to do our weekly housework. That's why the goodies in her newest collection all have wellness-minded features, like pillow covers sewn at a .3 micron (to prevent dust mites and bed bugs from penetrating), or the long-strand, 100-percent Supima cotton towels that actually cut down on the amount of allergy-inducing lint they produce from drying, and even the non-off-gassing packaging of her bedding products eliminates the strong chemical smell that's found frequently in linen sets from big-box stores.

Read on for Robin Wilson's quick tips on how to get rid of allergens and make your home a cleaner and healthier haven:

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Start with your pillows.

Wilson says, "When you ask someone, when was the last time they washed or replaced their pillow, the average answer is six years — if they even answer you at all! Most people just wince." Her advice? Abide by the rule of threes. "Wash your zippered pillow cover that goes over the pillow every three weeks. Every three months, try to wash the pillow itself, and if you can't do that, then every three years, replace your pillow."

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Dust the surfaces in every room in your home.

So how often is it recommended that we buckle down and do it? "Every week, if you can," Wilson says. "But when I say every week, I don't mean every room in your house." Wilson recommends, "Do your deep cleaning every season, and then once a week, for example, start with your hallways, and then the next week you do your bedroom, then by the time the next quarter rolls around, your house will always just be minimally clean."

Consider the produce you're consuming in your diet — it may contribute to springtime sniffles.

Certain plant types can potentially cause a cross-reaction without us really knowing it. Wilson says, "For example, if you're allergic to ragweed, you may also be allergic to cantaloupe. So you could be building up your allergenic load, and causing yourself to continue to wheeze and sneeze."

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Invest in greenery that freshens up the home.

Not only do fresh blooms look amazing throughout a space, but they can also help create atmosphere — literally! Wilson says, "Certain plants actually clear the air of carbon dioxide. So you can have your Roomba going while you're at work, but you can also have a peace lily sitting on your tabletop, cleaning the air."

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Rid your home of damp or musky smells.

Book lovers, we're about to break your heart. Wilson says, "How many people realize that when you walk into a library, and you have that musty smell, that that's dust and mold?" Keep that in mind next time you spend hours perusing the stacks. She adds, "Put your books in a bookcase in the hallway instead, and store the few books that you want to read at night in your room."

Clean pets from carrying allergens indoors.

You may not be allergic to your furry friend, but they may inadvertently be contributing to an allergy-ridden atmosphere in the home. Wilson says, "Decide if your pet is an indoor or outdoor pet. If you can't do that, then just make sure, using micro-static cloths, that you brush them off. Just wipe them down when they come in, get the pollen off of them, and mud off of their feet ... and be aware of where they go outdoors."

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Look before you light.

Before you spark up your favorite candle to relax for the evening, you may want to look up its list of ingredients first. "Avoid paraffin candles," she says, "as they are a petroleum byproduct ... I recommend beeswax candles and soy candles, always with a cotton wick."

For more tips on creating a clean, allergy-free home, visit Robin Wilson's website, or pick up her latest book, Clean Design.